A Promise Kept
by hillia
Summary: Waiting to keep a promise, Harry remembers how it began.
1. Chapter 1

A Promise Kept 

Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters are the property of JK Rowling, her publishers and other organisations. This is written purely for fun and to improve my writing skills, and not for profit.

A/N: I am (obviously) ignoring HBP. Please let me know if I should continue this.

7th Year, Midsummer's Day, 4 a.m.

In the early morning light the lake shimmered as the breeze ruffled the surface, disturbing the reflections of the surrounding mountains. The slim emerald-eyed teen sat on the shore, his broom and a bundled cloak beside him, and looked from the lake to the mountains and back. Finally, for the first time in months he felt peaceful and relaxed, just taking in the natural beauty of the scene and waiting to keep his promise.

When the war's over, we'll meet here on Midsummer Morn and fly to the top of the mountains to celebrate. We'll build a cairn and put some things in it to remember forever. 

And now the war was over, and Harry Potter was waiting to keep the promise he and Draco had made.

6th Year, October.

Another nightmare! Harry knew this one was just a dream, not a sending from Voldemort, but it was still horrifying and he knew he would not sleep again. Finding his glasses, he checked the time. Too early to wake the others, and anyway Ron would only want to go over every detail of the dream. Harry did not want to remember it, did not want to keep repeating that he was alright. It felt stuffy in the dorm; he wanted to go outside and try to calm his thoughts. Down by the lake it might be peaceful enough to sort himself out.

Quickly dressing, he checked his map. No teachers around and Filch was in his office. So he could get to the kitchen and beg Dobby for some bread or something, then go out the back doors. Soon he was on his way across the grounds to the lake, enjoying the quiet sounds of the breeze in the trees and the early birdsong. Reaching the lake, he sat down and began to relax, not looking at anything in particular, just staring into the distance. Gradually his muscles untensed and his racing thoughts began to still.

Some time later he realised he was no longer alone. He'd been vaguely aware of footsteps and the sounds of someone sitting down behind him; he'd heard the gentle breathing and the sigh of relief; it wasn't intrusive or threatening and he felt no need to find out who it was.

Eventually a voice said "Makes you feel safe, doesn't it?" and Harry just nodded. Silence descended again. After a while Harry said "As long as there's something like this, the horrors can't win."

"Exactly," said the voice. After another few minutes there was another sigh and Harry heard the other leaving. Softly on the breeze came the words "See you."

Harry sat there a bit longer. It all seemed rather dreamlike, but he knew it was real. He and Draco Malfoy had just had their first civil conversation in over five years.

6th Year, December

The Christmas Feast was coming to an end. The Great Hall was ablaze with colour and full of noise as people discussed their holiday plans. Harry was going to The Burrow with Ron and Ginny, and Hermione would join them for the New Year.

"Coming to the common room, Harry?" Ron and Hermione were getting ready to leave the Great Hall.

"In a bit. I want to get a breath of fresh air first," Harry replied. Actually he wanted a few minutes of quiet before returning to the excitement in the Tower. And it would be beautiful outside – snow, stars and a full moon.

"OK, but don't be too long! And don't get cold," Hermione said after looking at him closely. She realised that he just wanted to be alone for a while.

Harry had brought his cloak down with him, so wasted no time in pulling it on, and casting the warming charm Hermione had worked out. He did not intend to stay out long, just long enough to clear his mind. Since that day in October he had realised that spending short periods alone outside just looking at nature was helping to keep him balanced. It was helping the Occlumency too; somehow he could use the experiences to clear his mind and strengthen his mental barriers.

He walked along the main path, enjoying the clear frosty air and the silence. For a few minutes he stood with his head thrown back looking at the stars. Then he decided he should start back. The moonlight on the snow made it almost as bright as day as he wandered towards the rose garden, where the bushes poked through the otherwise white blanket.

As he walked he heard the crunch of someone else's footsteps on the snow, moving in the same direction. Harry spoke without turning round.

"This is everyone's image of Christmas – snow, moonlight, everything just waiting and hoping."

"Hoping for what?" It was Malfoy again. Harry turned to look at him, and saw the moonlight gleaming on the platinum hair and giving a silver glint to those grey eyes.

"Hoping for whatever. Children hoping for presents, lonely people hoping for a welcome somewhere, families hoping for happiness – everyone hoping for better things to come."

"And what are you hoping for, Potter?" It wasn't the malicious sneer Malfoy used in class; he seemed genuinely to want to know. Harry looked up at the castle, then turned to look across at the lake and the mountains.

"I hope that I can remember this night forever – the sights, the sounds, the peace."

"Is that what you do so often outside alone? Collect memories?"

"Yes. I want to remember nature, beauty, peace, silence. It helps me cope with the rest of it. How do you know I'm outside alone a lot?" Harry turned back to look at Malfoy again.

"I've seen you, watching a sunset, down at the edge of the forest, up in the Quidditch stands." Malfoy's voice was gentle, almost nostalgic. For a few moments their eyes met and there seemed to be an even deeper silence.

"Happy Christmas, Draco." Harry held out his hand to the Slytherin.

"Happy Christmas, Harry," Draco responded, taking Harry's hand in both of his and squeezing gently.

"See you next term," and Harry walked back towards the castle.

TBC? Tell me please.


	2. More Memories

Chapter 2 – More Memories 

6th Year, January

The rain was streaming down the windows and the wind was howling around the walls. It felt as though it would never end – three days of gales now. Despite the size of the castle, everyone was beginning to get edgy, feeling cooped up. Arguments were breaking out everywhere. Harry left the common room when Ron and Seamus nearly came to blows over a game of exploding snap. He needed somewhere quiet and thought he knew where, if only no one got there first. Eventually he reached the corridor outside the Room of Requirement, and began to pace up and down.

Just as the door appeared he heard someone behind him, and turned quickly.

"Oh it's you again. I just needed to get away from all those arguments for a while."

"Me too. What are you doing?"

"You know about the Room of Requirement?"

"I've heard rumours. Is this it?"

"Yes, come on in," and Harry led the way in. This time it was a small comfortable sitting room. There was a roaring fire in the hearth, and a thick rug in front of it, two comfortable looking armchairs near a low table, and thick curtains drawn over the windows.

Draco and Harry sat in the armchairs and smiled at each other. Although they hadn't spoken alone since Christmas, and in class Draco was still using his old arrogant persona, the silence was friendly. The logs in the fire shifted and settled, sending sparks up the chimney and breaking the silence.

"Hey, we should make toast! I remember my mother doing that on days like this!"

"How?" asked Harry, never having made toast without a Muggle toaster.

"We need toasting forks, and bread, and butter, and ….. Oh, I suppose we can't." Draco looked disappointed.

"Yes we can. That's what the room does. Just think about what you need and the room gives it to you," Harry explained.

Draco closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, on the table were toasting forks, bread slices, dishes of butter and honey and jam, everything you could need for spending a cosy time in front of the fire. There was even a jug of hot chocolate. Quickly Draco showed Harry what to do, and the two sat on the rug in front of the fire making toast. Although Harry's first slice ended up rather black, they soon had a pile of toast and began to eat.

Finally Harry felt he had eaten enough. He turned to look at Draco and started to laugh.

"What? Why are you laughing?"

"The perfect Draco Malfoy has got toast crumbs round his mouth!" Harry just could not stop giggling, even as Draco narrowed his eyes and glared at him.

"Yeah? Well the great Harry Potter has got butter smeared on his chin so that makes us even!" As he said that Draco began to rub the back of his hand over his mouth to remove the crumbs, and then licked his lips to check that he had got them all.

"You've missed a couple," and Harry leaned closer, using a finger to rub some crumbs from Draco's cheek. Draco looked up into Harry's eyes, opening his mouth as if to say something but no words came out. Harry closed the remaining distance and pressed his lips to Draco's mouth. Nothing else, just the slightest pressure. Pulling back he looked into Draco's grey eyes again waiting for a reaction; Draco's face was totally blank for a moment. Then his hand moved; he touched Harry's chin and wiped off the butter, bringing his finger back to his own lips and licking it. Still holding Harry's eyes, Draco leaned forward and kissed him. The pressure was stronger this time, and then Harry felt the tip of Draco's tongue asking for entrance, which he quickly granted. Draco's hands were holding Harry's face gently; Harry's hands found their way around Draco's waist. Slowly they began to explore each other's mouths.

It seemed like forever that they kissed, learning each other's flavours and textures. Eventually their mouths separated and they rested their foreheads together.

"That was ……."

"Yeah," Harry sighed. "Another memory that I'll never forget."

''''''''''''''

6th Year, February 14th

"Come on Ron – time to wake up!" Harry shook Ron's shoulder for the third time. He really was impossible to wake in the mornings!

"Go 'way! Five minutes more!" and Ron rolled over.

"Gentlemen, this calls for extreme measures!" Seamus looked at the other occupants of the dorm, all of whom were fully dressed. "On a count of three. One…..two……three!" Dean and Seamus pulled the bed covers off, Neville used a frost charm on Ron's feet and Harry squeezed water from the facecloth over Ron's head and shoulders.

"Argggh! Alright, I'm awake! Let me alone!" Ron glared at all of them. "Why did you do that?"

"Breakfast, Ron. And it's Valentine's Day. We need to get there early to see who gets the most cards," said Dean.

"It'll be Harry. With all those people outside the school as well as the girls here, he always gets the most!" This was true, though rather embarrassing. Harry always did get a lot of cards from totally unknown senders. Ron was dressing quickly while the others talked.

"Tell you what, I'll disqualify my external post, and just count the ones delivered by school owls. Then you can see who gets the most."

"Okay," said Seamus. "So who's everyone picking? I bet it's Malfoy"

"Eew. Lisa Turpin," offered Ron.

"Ginny," said Harry.

Seamus scribbled their choices onto a small piece of parchment, adding Dean and Neville's choices too.

"Right," he said, "Each of us counts the one we've picked, and then we check Harry's total from school only. Next Hogsmeade trip the winner gets treated by each of us. Now, let's go to breakfast," and with that they left the dorm.

Having collected Hermione and Ginny on the way, the Gryffindor sixth years quickly occupied their usual places at the long table and ate. Then the sound of hundreds of pairs of wings alerted everyone to the arrival of the post. Harry could hear Seamus counting, presumably the owls lined up in front of Malfoy, as Ginny took cards from the four owls in front of her. Ron made a surprised noise as a school owl offered him a card, and Harry noticed Hermione smile secretively as Ron opened it. Harry as expected had a long line of owls, and he took each card as quickly as he could, setting them in two piles depending on whether they were brought by school owls or strangers. Eventually all the owls left the Great Hall and the buzz of conversation started up again.

"Right, Harry, how many?" Seamus asked.

"Ginny got four, and I got five from in school, though one doesn't look like a proper card," replied Harry, picking up the small pile of envelopes. He decided not to open the larger pile until there were fewer people around AND he had his wand ready. If there was a singing card like last year he did NOT want to be embarrassed like that again!

"Okay so that means Malfoy got the most, with thirteen, and you lot all owe me! So I'll start thinking what you can buy me in Hogsmeade," and Seamus grinned and happily left the Hall with Dean and Neville.

Harry began to open the five cards that he was holding, leaving the slightly odd looking one till last. He soon had four typical Valentine cards in front of him; the usual pulsating hearts and moving cupids. While he didn't know who sent them, he suspected one was from Ginny. Then he turned to the last envelope. It was much smaller than the others, and whatever was in it felt loose, as though it was too small for the envelope.

As he opened it a sprig of heather fell out, and then a Muggle postcard. It showed a view of the mountains near Hogwarts, their lower slopes covered with heather, set against a bright blue sky. Turning it over, he found the words "Another memory for you" written on the back. Looking across the room, he nodded to the blond seated at the Slytherin table, receiving a nod in return. This was a memory he would keep forever.

''''''''''''

TBC

A/N I am currently stuck on the next scene, but hope to update soon. I know where this is going, but I'm not sure how to get there.


	3. Do we have a future?

Chapter 3 – Do we have a future?

"""""

6th Year, March

Midnight. Harry sat in his bed thinking. He could hear the sounds of his dorm-mates sleeping; the various snorts and mutters were easily identifiable after so many years together. Himself, he could not get to sleep yet; his mind was too busy examining his relationship with Draco. Since they kissed for the first time they had met a few times in the Room of Requirement. They had talked about classes, done homework together, kissed some more, but neither had brought up either their past rivalry or what these meetings might be leading to.

Harry was also beginning to wonder about other people noticing what was happening. He had seen Hermione glance at him when he had gone off alone, or when he had returned. Given how smart she was, he wondered how soon she would say something to him. Ron, being Ron, did not seem to realise that there was anything happening other than Harry giving him time to be alone with Hermione. Harry wondered if any of the Slytherins had noticed Draco's disappearances.

Harry made a decision. He wanted to develop his relationship with Draco further, but they must talk first, so he began to list what they needed to discuss.

….Their rivalry.

….Other people noticing.

….The whole Boy Who Lived/Death Eater's son scenario.

….Voldemort and the Prophecy.

….Whether Draco wanted to take the relationship further.

They were all scary, but that last one was the worst. What if Draco didn't want to go further? What if he was just having a bit of fun? Could Harry cope if Draco decided to break it off? After a bit of thought he realised that he could cope with knowing, it was not knowing that was the problem. He believed that even if they did break up, Draco would not use what he now knew in school. If they ended up on opposite sides in the war, he would deal with that then.

As he lay back in bed feeling that he might now be able to sleep, he decided to start talking to Draco next time they met. He would not ask questions, but start by telling Draco some things about the past and wait for Draco's reactions. Before the Easter holiday he would find out where their relationship was going. If it went well they would have more memories; if not he would still have the existing ones, and two weeks to come to terms with it.

"""""

3 Days Later 

It was another wet and windy day so Harry had come to the Room of Requirement to complete some homework. Although they had not arranged to meet, he was not surprised when Draco appeared shortly afterwards and started his Arithmancy assignment. Now Draco was stretched out on the rug in front of the fire and Harry was curled up in the armchair.

"I want to tell you some things," Harry began. "I need you to listen and not interrupt please. If you've got questions, ask me when I've finished." He had decided to start by telling Draco something about his past rather than discussing their relationship. Then he would let Draco decide the next phase of the conversation.

"Okay." Draco turned over to look at him.

"The first time I went to Diagon Alley I was excited and confused and scared. Hagrid had only just told me about being a wizard and about my parents and Voldemort. My Muggle relatives had never told me anything about magic, because they didn't want to believe it existed. I was excited about going to Hogwarts and the whole idea that magic was real. And then I was confused, 'cos when we got to the Leaky Cauldron all these people wanted to meet me and I didn't understand why. And I was scared. What if people didn't like me? What if they thought I was a freak like everyone else did?

"And then on the train I made a friend, the first friend I'd ever had. And then Hogwarts was so … magical. And there was Quidditch, and more friends, and real magic. I was so happy for a while." The words had been pouring out but then he stopped, frowning.

"But there were people who didn't like me, and there was the whole 'Boy Who Lived' thing, and there were scary things happening. And then there was Voldemort." A long pause. "And it's been like that ever since; exciting, confusing, scary. And now I'm more confused and scared than ever."

Draco waited until he was sure that Harry had finished. At some point during the outpouring he had sat up on the rug, wrapping his arms round his knees. His expression was thoughtful.

"Can I tell you something now?"

"Go ahead."

"When I met you in Madam Malkin's I was excited too. And I was scared. I was finally going to Hogwarts and I was going to meet new people and it was going to be different. I knew a few of the others of course; Vince, Greg and Pansy had been visitors with their parents several times. I had always wondered if they were friends of Draco, or friends of 'the Malfoy heir'. I wanted to meet people who didn't care about my family, who wanted to know me. Then I met you and you didn't have a clue who I was, but I didn't know how to talk to you. Then on the train I messed up again, and so I hated you because I was eleven and I couldn't cope with rejection. So I was spiteful and malicious to you and your friends, because I wanted what you had. I wanted friends who liked Draco, like you had friends who liked Harry. What I realised recently was that I've always wanted to be your friend, so I kept acting to make you notice me, because at least that way I had your attention."

"Well that certainly worked!" Harry tried to make it sound like a joke because he couldn't bear the tears he could see in Draco's eyes. "So what changed? Why were you so different in October?"

"Last summer holiday I had a lot of time to think for myself. Those hexes – it took a long time to remove all of them and the treatment left me weak. My father was in Azkaban and my mother wasn't going to interrupt her holiday plans for me, so I was on my own. At first I hated you more because of what you'd done to me and I just started planning what I would do to you when we got back to Hogwarts. That made me think about everything I'd done previously, and gradually I started analysing our whole acquaintance. That's when I realised I still wanted you for a friend, but I couldn't just walk up to you and say that. You wouldn't have believed me, and Weasley and Granger would have been worse, so I carried on acting the same while I tried to work out how to approach you."

"I did notice you were still being your horrible self verbally, but you didn't seem to be acting on it," Harry admitted.

"What changed you? Last year you wouldn't have noticed that," Draco queried.

"I think I grew up. Like you I had a lot of time to think this summer. Apart from the garden they didn't give me any chores to do, so when I finished gardening I could just sit and work out what went wrong last year at the Ministry. That led to me thinking about the whole of the last five years, and I realised that I get emotional and then act without really thinking or planning. Take that day on the train – you came in and insulted my first friend so I reacted by deciding to hate you. Same thing in Potions – Snape says something, I react without thinking. Same thing at the Ministry, so people got injured or killed. So I decided I've got to start thinking."

"Is that why you go off by yourself so much?"

"Yes. I try to plan alternative reactions to situations. Then when the situation happens I call up the memory."

The two boys sat in silence for a while until they realised it was nearly dinnertime. As they neared the door, Draco turned to Harry and hugged him. They rested their heads on each other's shoulders and just stood there for a minute. Since they had agreed not to be seen together near the room, Draco left first. While Harry waited he thought about what had been said. He would have questions next time, but they had made a start today.

A/N Thanks to my reviewers.


End file.
